The Lost Heir
by Uzofire
Summary: Two decades after the War of Worlds, all is well in Melromarc. That is, until a favored son and heir disappears without a trace. A story about life, love, and letting go as, in the midst of their search, each descendant of the Holy Heroes struggles to find their own path. [Next Generation fic. No yaoi or yuri. Contains spoilers from the web and light novels]
1. Memories

**Prologue: Katsuro's Memories**

* * *

The royal palace. A grand, towering structure of ancient stone, turrets and battlements. Home to generation upon generation of distinguished nobility who had shaped the country in some way or another. And the last place twelve-year-old Katsuro Amaki wanted to be. The boy, rather tall and lanky for his age, with a sleek head of raven-black hair and dark eyes, tugged at the hem of one of his sleeves self-consciously. Gazing warily about him, Katsuro took in the vastness of the royal ballroom, the large crystal chandeliers twinkling high above everyone's heads. The room, big as it was, was full of people. People of different skin tones and different places of origin. People of many different personalities and mannerisms, who danced away at the very center of the ballroom, happy to be the center of attention, or contented themselves to filling their plates with exotic dishes from the lengthy buffet tables that were set aside, chatting with friends all the while.

It was quite the lively scene, one Katsuro wished he could take part in if only he were anyone but himself. As it were, large gatherings like this made him uncomfortable, and had been ever since he was little and realized that people tended to congregate to wherever he was for no other reason than to stare at him. Silently. Creepily. _Constantly_.

Katsuro had been dragged into joining the celebration by his mother, and now he was standing—rather uncomfortably—in his brand new robes, formal wear custom tailored for occasions such as this. When his family had entered the inner gates of the castle, adults all around would spot him and remark on what a "handsome little gentleman" he was or how proud his parents must've been to be blessed with "such a well-mannered boy". Anyone else would have beamed at the praise, but Katsuro couldn't help but notice that none of the attendants had spoken directly to him as they talked about him. He didn't fully understand, but also felt that it wasn't his _place _to understand. This was the world of grown-ups, of royalty, of Heroes. What did he, a twelve-year-old, know?

Even the memory of it set said boy's ears aflame, so Katsuro firmly shoved it aside and focused on the matter at hand, the reason they were here in the first place. His eyes darted over to his right, fixing onto a lean figure clad in deep blue-black robes. Perhaps there was nothing _overly_ impressive about the man, appearance-wise. He was of average height, with graceful, rather feminine facial features, smooth black hair and pale skin. In fact, the one thing that really revealed his true self was the gleaming, silver-and-black gold inlaid sword he carried at his side. The weapon that would have otherwise been out of place at a social gathering instead drew admiring and envious looks from all around the room. His expression was one of calm neutrality, but those who knew him well knew that inwardly, he was quite happy. How could he not be? After all, this entire celebration was in honor of him, Ren Amaki, the Sword Hero.

Katsuro's father.

_And of course, let's not forget his shiny new _bride, Katsuro thought bitterly. Yes. The entire castle was alive with merriment this day in order to celebrate Ren's marriage to a young woman named Wyndia. She was a demi-human of some kind, a dog or something—Katsuro never cared to remember—and she had some renown fror being one of the original inhabitants of the ever-growing, ever-prospering town of Rock Valley. She also had a reputation of advocating monster rights, but that was another matter. It was said that Wyndia and Ren had been in conflict for some time during Rock Valley's early years, but obviously they had gotten through it somehow, if they were marrying.

"Katsuro." The boy jumped slightly at the sound of his father's voice. "We may be here for a good minute. Why don't you find someplace to sit down? Your mother and I will join you a little later."

Katsuro nodded. He found no reason to object. "Yes, Father." Keeping his head down, he separated from his parents' sides, weaving through the guests until he found a relatively secluded area with tables, chairs, and those who wanted to take a break from the revelry. Propping himself onto the nearest chair, Katsuro soon lost himself in his brooding. He wondered, absently, how he should address Wyndia now that they were part of the same family. Titles like "mom" or "mother" were definitely out of the question. Why? Because Katsuro already _had _a mother. A mother who was alive, well, and apparently perfectly okay with this. Her name was Éclair. She was a knight and swordswoman of the highest caliber, and someone who'd fought alongside the Holy Heroes time and again despite not having a Holy Weapon of her own. The whole kingdom held her in high regard, and none more so than her own son. That made her approval of Ren's second union all the more unbearable to Katsuro.

As he looked on from the sidelines, Katsuro caught sight of his mother approaching another woman, this one a demi-human. Upon seeing her, Katsuro wondered why he hadn't noticed her before. Her clothes were nothing like the rest of the guests'. They were flowing, white and red robes with fine red embroidery on the hems of the sleeves. They looked nothing at all like the stately attire Éclair was wearing. But that didn't mean they were unattractive in any way. In fact, they further accentuated the woman's exotic beauty. She had eyes the color of red tea, and round, fuzzy ears that matched her auburn hair and equally fuzzy tail. Her face was elegant in a way that was different from Éclair's own harsh attractiveness. As if to complete the foreign look, Katsuro noticed a sheath strapped to her side, the hilt of the unseen blade glimmering with a green gemstone. He knew who this was.

The Katana Hero, Raphtalia. Her name was spoken with awe and reverence throughout the kingdom and far beyond. Katsuro reckoned there wasn't a single person alive who didn't know who she was, as forgetting her was like forgetting the legendary Shield Hero himself, and no one was going to do _that _in a hurry.

The woman turned to greet his mother, and the two struck up a conversation as they walked. As if the combined power and gracefulness of these two women was too much for the room to handle, the crowd parted seamlessly to make way for them. Whispers began to break out.

"Are they…?"

"Yes, it's gotta be them!"

"The legendary Knight and Katana Hero!"

"I knew this party was a big deal, but I didn't know it was _that _big of a deal!"

"So they both came…"

"Idiot, of course they did. The Knight Éclair and the Hero Raphtalia are very close."

"I heard they once trained together, learning an ancient form of martial arts."

"If the Katana Hero is here, then does that mean…the legendary Shield is here too?!"

"I wouldn't bet on it. You know he never shows up to these sorts of things."

"Hey, isn't the Knight married to the Sword Hero? It only makes sense that she'd appear, then."

Katsuro's heart swelled with pride as he listened to the fuss that was being made. His mother had a fearsome reputation, one she'd earned through skill and hard work. If anyone deserved to walk alongside the Hero of the Katana, it was her.

This moment of elation, however, was brief. All of a sudden, Katsuro's thoughts returned to his dilemma. He didn't hate Wyndia. He didn't even know enough about her to cast judgment one way or another. He didn't hate his father either, for making the decision without consulting him. No, he was just…confused. The one question young Katsuro wanted an answer to, more than anything else, was _why. _Why had his father done this? Why had his mother agreed? Why had they not bothered to talk to him about it until _after _the decision had been made?

Why?

"They call it 'taking responsibility.'"

The voice came from right by Katsuro's ear. He jumped, torn away from his melancholic thoughts. He looked over to his right and saw a boy standing next to him, arms folded and gazing out at the partygoers with a mask of cool indifference, as if he'd already figured out the ways of the world. He looked to be Katsuro's age, around twelve or thirteen, with ruffled brown hair and eyes like jade. A pair of fuzzy, rounded ears sat atop his head, twitching every now and then, and an equally fluffy rounded tail swished back and forth behind him. _Another demi-human. _Demi-humans with social status were quite common in Melromarc now, though there had been a time—before the great War of Heroes some fifteen years ago—when the only status they could have was that of slaves. Katsuro stared. There was something else, too. Some sort of signal going off in his brain, telling him that perhaps he knew this boy from somewhere, though he couldn't imagine where that would be.

"…I'm sorry?"

"So am I," The boy replied. "I don't really get it, but apparently it's something Heroes _do._" He shook his head in displeasure.

Katsuro eyed him warily. What was he talking about? "No, I mean…who are you exactly?"

"Huh? Oh, my name's Korro." Korro turned to look at him fully and stuck his hand into the pocket of his robes. He pulled out a worn-looking deck of cards, bound together by string. "Katsuro, right? D'you know how to play Speed Snap?" Korro sat down across from Katsuro, cross-legged. He began unbinding the cards and shuffling them. For his part, Katsuro was unsure of many things, mainly why this kid had approached him out of nowhere and talked as if they were in the middle of a conversation. But Korro didn't seem to mean any harm, not to mention there were other people in the vicinity, so the black-haired boy slid out of his chair to sit on the floor as well. He wondered what his mother would think, seeing him sitting on the ground and ruining his own formal wear.

"Sorta," he said in response to Korro's question. "I'm much better at Dragon's Eye, though."

"Alright, but I don't know that one so you're gonna have to teach it to me later," Korro didn't so much as look up from his shuffling. Katsuro had given up trying to sort this situation out. All he got out of it was that this other boy most likely wanted to be friends with him for whatever reason. And if that was the case, who was he to argue? So he decided to shift his attention to something else that was bothering him. Something Korro had said.

"What was that you were saying before, about taking responsibility? What was that about?" Katsuro glanced around, scanning the area for potential eavesdroppers. His suspicions went unfounded. Everyone around them was busy enjoying themselves. Children laughed, couples danced in the center of the ballroom, aging veterans chatted with old friends as they watched. None were paying any attention to the pair of boys sitting and playing cards away from all of the commotion. Katsuro felt a little foolish. Of course they wouldn't. Unless Korro was harboring an international secret that could endanger anyone who heard it, there wasn't much reason to try and listen in on their conversation.

"Oh yeah, _that,_" Korro sighed, and for some reason he looked a little irritated. "I'm talking about your dad. He just got married again, didn't he? I mean, this party _is _for him." Katsuro nodded. That was common knowledge. The other boy went on.

"Well, don't you think it's strange? He's already got your mom, but he then goes and marries someone else without even divorcing her first."

Katsuro, who'd been listening attentively as Korro dealt out the cards, suddenly bristled at those words. "And why would he do something like split up with my mother? They love each other!" Why would Korro even suggest something like that, as if it were only natural for them to want to break apart? It was absurd!

But Korro had something to say about that as well. "Yeah? Well if they really _do_ love each other, then why would your dad want a second wife? Whatever happened to 'till death do us part'? Can he really make that sort of promise to more than one person?" When Katsuro didn't respond, he looked up to find the other boy's face full of anger and distress. "Don't look at me like that. I'm only telling you the truth. As for the responsibility thing, I'd heard that in their world when a man messes up in front of a woman, he has no choice but to atone for it by marrying her or something. So I dunno, maybe your dad owed this Wyndia lady money or something?" he joked. Katsuro however, didn't laugh.

His hands balled into fists. Just what was Korro trying to say? That his father and mother _didn't_ care for each other? That their marriage was meaningless? That _he, _the result of said marriage_, _was also meaningless? _Don't you think I've asked myself the same thing?_ he thought angrily. _Don't you think I myself want to know why my father did what he did? _All of the dark feelings he'd felt in the weeks since his parents had made the announcement-all the confusion, the frustration, the utter _helplessness_\- welled up within the youth, threatening to spill out in the worst way possible. That made him angrier. He'd been doing his best to keep things under wraps, to wait until he'd gotten home to confront his parents, and here comes this stranger pushing all the wrong buttons.

After spending a few moments wrestling his emotions back under control, Katsuro growled, "I don't think I like what you're implying. And who are you to go snooping around in my family's business like you understand us, anyway? How could _you _understand? How could you _possibly_ know what it's like?!" Katsuro's voice had risen with every word until he was practically shouting. A few people nearby turned their heads at the commotion. Katsuro paid them no mind, keeping his eyes on the other boy.

Korro said nothing for a long time. He stared at Katsuro, the smile gone from his face, his card deck momentarily forgotten. Then, when it seemed like he was simply not going to respond at all, he finally spoke. "I know," he murmured, "because _my _father did the same thing."

Like a lit candle that had been doused by a bucket of water, Katsuro felt his fury sizzle out, to be replaced by realization. _Two _realizations. One, that the reason Korro had seemed so familiar despite having never met Katsuro before was because Katsuro had literally just seen him—in the face of that white-and-red clad woman who knew his mother. They were not the same age or gender obviously—and of course Korro's eyes were green instead of red—but their ears, their tails, their foreign facial features-they were all the same. Such a close resemblance could only mean one thing.

Before he could dwell too long on it though, Katsuro was hit by the second, stronger realization. He _had _seen this boy before. It was about a year ago, and Katsuro had been dragged to yet another party. This one hadn't been for his family. Instead, the kingdom was celebrating on behalf of the Shield Hero, Naofumi Iwatani, and his official entry into the royal family via his political marriage to the current queen, Melty Q. Melromarc, a woman of rare kindness and beauty. That day, in that very ballroom, Katsuro had been looking for places to hide and wait out the festival until it was time to return home again. As he did, he caught sight of a lone figure, sitting—very stiffly—in a chair well away from the crowds, staring down into his lap. A boy with a fuzzy tail and rounded ears. A boy who looked like the royal palace was the last place he wanted to be.

"…I see." Katsuro's reply was soft. "You were frowning on that day, too." Korro looked confused at that, but Katsuro moved on before he could be questioned. "Sorry about that. I shouldn't have snapped at you. First time I really lost my temper, actually." Saying it made him feel ashamed. He was usually good at keeping his feelings buried. Perhaps he'd been doing it too often.

Korro shrugged, looking away. "I kinda deserved it. I _was _trying to rile you up a little back there. Guess I just wanted to make myself feel a bit better about the whole thing. A whole year has already passed, yet I seem to be the only person who can't get on with his life. Pretty ridiculous, huh?"

Katsuro nodded. "Yeah, but it's not like I'll be any different. I'll probably be griping about this until they bury me, and then some." That managed to get a chuckle out of the young demi-human. Katsuro joined in. He'd come to this gathering thinking it would be a total waste, but now he was starting to have second thoughts. Glancing down, he picked up and studied his half of the card deck. After a moment he said, "You know…I don't really feel like playing cards anymore."

Korro gave a smile. It wasn't as wide as the one he'd had before, but to Katsuro, this one seemed a little more…sincere.

"Me neither."

* * *

**A/N: Welcome to my next generation fanfic, The Lost Heir. I got the idea of it after reading the web novel and light novels, and saw that no one posted a NextGen fic yet (to my knowledge) ad figured it would be fun to try it out. Just to be clear, I do NOT support the idea of Naofumi having a harem, or him being with anyone besides Raphtalia. But canon or not, the web novel is the only version of the story that has a definite ending, and it did happen there, so I'm including it. Not to mention it would also be a great source of drama for Nao's kids XD. But most of this chapter was for exposition, so I promise I'll only mention it when necessary. Thank you.**


	2. Dispute

**Dispute**

* * *

Summer had come to Rock Valley, and with it, loads and loads of profit. Citizens from all over Melromarc would gather in order to tour the famous village town. Every year it grew and expanded, and every year the villagers would pull out all the stops in order to rake in what they could from tourism, putting out their best wares and products for people to sample, and even then there were many unique attractions to be seen without that; the best examples would be the small, fuzzy, raccoon-like monsters that populated the area. They were friendly and highly intelligent, an entirely new species said to have been created by the Shield Hero in his right hand's likeness. Said right hand didn't appreciate that comparison, so many were sure to avoid saying so in front of her.

There was much to be done during this time, so it came as no surprise to anyone that the workers needed a good deal of food to keep their energy up. While the Shield Hero—much to his chagrin—was the one to do most of the cooking (with help of course), the gathering of ingredients was a chore left to the more experienced villagers, and those who wished to learn from them. One such person was trying her luck at hunting by a river.

A young girl was standing in the shallows, arms wrapped around a large and struggling fish-like monster. She staggered and splashed about as the creature thrashed, nearly dropping it twice, and once actually falling into the water with it. The girl grit her teeth as the fish, more than half her height, nearly escaped for the third time. She blew her wet, ash grey hair out of her face. "As if I'd let you go that easily!" Heaving with all her might, she tossed the beast onto the bank and, as it flopped around furiously, drew a wicked-looking dagger from her belt loop and charged at it, yelling her best battlecry. "AAAAAHHH!"

She plunged the knife down to the hilt, and the monster gave an earsplitting screech. It thrashed again, once, twice, three times, before finally falling limp. Eighteen-year-old Saori Iwatani leaned back to sit on her heels, exhausted. She appeared human at first glance, no animal ears or tail to be seen. She blew away the wild strands of her hair that had whipped into her face during the skirmish, then looked over at her hunting companion for that day, jade eyes indignant. "We've been out slaying monsters in this heat all day, and I'm covered in mud and dirt. How come you're not even ruffled? Your hair isn't even out of line."

The person she was speaking to was a rather tall, rather scantily-clad woman in her thirties, whose dark hair fell in unbroken waves down her back. Her face was very beautiful, and her blue eyes sparkled with mischief as she replied. "That's the question, isn't it?" She strolled over, carrying an even larger aquatic monster on her shoulder. The bare skin of her arms and legs had were dark in places, and Saori knew that these patches were actually more rubber than skin, the kind one would find on a seal or dolphin.

Or a whale.

Saori watched as the woman hauled her catch over to add to the rest of the pile. "Yes, it is. And I'd like to know the answer, Sadeena. How do you do it?"

"Magic," Sadeena responded cryptically.

Saori flopped onto her back in defeat, covering her eyes with an arm. "I should've known you'd say something like that."

Sadeena chuckled, taking her place on the grass beside the girl and ruffling her hair. "You did well today," she said, surveying their catch. "This is quite the haul. You've become a fine fisherman. I'm sure your mother and father will be as proud of you as I am."

Saori couldn't resist a smile as she was showered with praise. "I did learn from the best."

The orca woman looked thoughtful at that. "You know," she began, "when I have a daughter, I think I would like her to be exactly like you."

Saori's smile wavered. She didn't quite know what to say to that, knowing of the older woman's attraction to her father. Sadeena was also someone she admired a great deal; she couldn't exactly shoot her down. So she decided to go with "Why wish for a daughter when you already have me? Aren't I enough?"

Thankfully, Sadeena was well aware of how her words would affect her charge, and was—for the moment—joking. She laughed outright at the question. "I suppose so. You're so much more fun to be around than your brother. He _never _likes my jokes," she pouted.

"You joke about all the wrong things, Sadeena," was Saori's reply. "I don't mind it, but Korro is a different story. Please try not to mess with him so much. You know he's sensitive about that kind of thing." She allowed herself to soak in the sun's rays for a few minutes, letting it dry out her damp clothes. Of course, the girl would still need a bath later, but for now, this was enough. Sadeena too, was quiet for a while. Eventually, she stood.

"We should get going," she said, breaking the peaceful silence. "Naofumi needs these if he's going to make enough food to satisfy a village as big as ours. Don't you agree, Saori?"

The girl sighed and nodded. "Yes. Papa wouldn't like it if he thought we were slacking. Besides, he and Mama are working hard for the sake of the village, and I want to help them out." Saori sat up and accepted Sadeena's offered hand, helping her scoop up the fish and slide them into a large net. It was too heavy for her to lift on her own, so Sadeena insisted on carrying it. As they walked along the path that would take them back to the village, Saori paused. She couldn't help but glance over her shoulder.

"Problem, Saori?" asked the orca.

"My brother," the girl said. "He's out there now, hunting with Katsuro. I'm hoping they don't run into Donza's party."

Sadeena patted her shoulder reassuringly. "There's no cause for concern. Katsuro is smart, and Korro can handle himself in a fight. They'll be fine."

"I hope so. My big brother can never keep his cool with those guys around." There was nothing else for it: Saori would simply have to have faith that her brother won't cause any undue conflict. She hurried to catch up to her friend and mentor, running a few steps ahead and calling over her shoulder. "Come on, Sadeena! These fish aren't going to cook themselves!"

Sadeena made to follow, watching the girl's retreating profile. She took in the cloak Saori was wearing, completely unnecessary in this heat. Any who saw her would wonder why Saori would have such a thing on. Sadeena, however, knew the reason. She sighed inwardly.

_She's hiding her tail again._

As the two headed home, chatting amiably, a very different conversation was being held somewhere else, in the monster-hunting fields by the shore some distance away.

Five boys were standing in an open area, the wind blowing at the tall grasses that poked up from the sand. They had formed something of a circle around a large, limp creature that would've been indistinguishable from a deer if not for the curved fangs that protruded from its open mouth. Three of the boys were on one side of it, two on the other. The person leading the three-man group was wearing simple armor, made more for practicality than style. He was by far the brawniest of the three—of the _five _even. He towered over his two companions by a good head, and his messy blond hair fell down almost to his shoulders. The two on either side of him—a brunette and a redhead—were much leaner and meaner-looking, with dark scowls to match the sharp, jagged weapons strapped to their sides. Together, Donza and his party had a sort of barbarian air to them.

The two opposite them didn't seem phased by their formidable appearance. Instead, they waited impatiently as the trio made their grievances known.

"Who do you think you are, stealing our game like that? That was totally our kill!" spat the redhead.

His brown haired companion was of the same mind. "Think you can just do whatever you please because you're the sons of Heroes? You entitled bastards are all the same."

Korro rolled his eyes. At nineteen years old, he stood at his father's height, with a lean but well-muscled figure strengthened and hardened by years of training. He folded his arms. "How many times are we going to have this _exact_ same conversation, Erik? Hasan? We do this every week! It's time you stopped blaming your incompetence on everyone but yourself. You claim that you chased the thing all the way out of the plains and to the shore, but we didn't see you anywhere near here when we went after it ourselves. You only kicked up a fuss after it was dead."

The redhead, Hasan, growled. "Liar! We know you saw us tracking it! We've been on its trail for hours, you can't just—"

"Hours? And you still hadn't caught it?" Korro whistled, incredulous. "Are you sure this is even the same monster? Maybe you were following a different one and lost it."

Donza's minions looked livid at that.

Eighteen-year-old Katsuro, who was even taller than Korro but not nearly as sturdy, nudged him with his foot. "Come on," he said, "we don't need this today. Let's just take our catch and go."

It was Erik's turn to speak. He sneered. "What, you just gonna let your boyfriend make the decisions for you?" he asked Korro, his voice full of mockery. Katsuro bristled. Korro, however, was calm. Amused, even.

"Nice try," he replied with a grin, "but I'm already seeing someone." He jerked his thumb at his best friend. "So is he." That was enough to surprise even the gang leader.

"Seriously?" Donza asked, incredulous.

"Well, no," Korro admitted, "but I'm sure he'll find someone eventually. There's gotta be at least one girlout there who'll take him." Katsuro's pale skin flushed red with embarrassment, and he glared at his supposed best friend with equal parts hurt and betrayal.

"What do you mean 'at least one'?" he hissed. "I'll have you know, I have plenty of options available to me!" It was true, technically. There were many women out there who would give an arm and a leg to partner with the Sword Hero's son. Katsuro simply needed…advice on how to properly talk to them.

Korro laughed. Katsuro was so easy to wind up sometimes. "Alright, alright, I get it. Let's go. I think we're done here." He bent low, making as if to grab the monster by the leg.

"Really? Well _I _don't." Donza stepped forward. He pointed at the creature, irritated. "That was our catch, Korro. I don't know how things work in _Rock Valley, _but out here we have to work for our food. And if you don't hand it over, things are going to get very ugly, very _fast._" The rest of his party watched eagerly, clearly waiting for their leader to make short works of their rivals.

Katsuro glanced cautiously about him, measuring their odds. He and Korro were outnumbered, but they could always use their magic. Korro in particular specialized in illusion magic, which made for adequate diversions for those who knew how to use it. Katsuro himself was honing his water magic. He'd rather the situation didn't break out into a fight, but if it did he was sure he and his friend could do a fair bit of damage before being forced to retreat. Before he could calculate any further, Katsuro felt a hand land on his shoulder.

He looked over at Korro. The other boy was smiling, though it didn't reach his eyes. "It's fine, Suro," he said. His other hand was balled into a fist. "This shouldn't take long." With that, Korro stepped forward, and so did Donza. They edged closer and closer, until there was nothing between them but the animal that had started the whole mess.

"Are you sure about this?" the demi-human asked. "This could get painful."

Donza raised his fists. "Go ahead," he taunted. "I'm not afraid of your magic."

"Very well," Korro sighed. Katsuro and the remaining members of Donza's team tensed, ready to lend a hand if need be. Korro gritted his teeth, raised his fisted hand, and—

Threw a handful of sand right into Donza's face. A piercing howl of pain erupted from the blonde as it made contact with his eyes. For several moments, Erik and Hasan were too shocked to move. But several moments was all Korro needed. Grabbing the deer monster and hoisting it over his shoulder, he ran, shoving Katsuro—who was also in a stupor—as he did. "What're you standing around for? Let's get out of here!"

Katsuro kicked his legs into gear, nearly tripping as he did. By the time Erik and Hasan snapped out of their surprise, the boys were long gone. Swallowing hard, they attempted to make up for their inaction by helping their leader instead, who was busy rubbing sand out of his eyes.

"Don," Erik said carefully, "let us hel—yeesh!" His gentle words ended in a cry. He couldn't help it; Donza had looked up at the sound of his voice, and gave them a glimpse of his eyes in the process. His bloodshot, watery, angry eyes. Donza growled. "Damn those guys…"

Meanwhile, "those guys" were making their escape. Katsuro nearly overtook Korro several times due to his legs being longer, so he and his friend decided to carry their catch between them as they ran. They didn't return to Rock Valley immediately, for fear Donza's party would follow them. Instead, they circled the long way around, stopping at a cluster of houses too small to be called a true settlement. It was there that they hid for the time being.

Setting the slain monster down, Korro leaned against a particularly run-down shack. "I'd say that could've been worse," he remarked.

Katsuro, bent over double and struggling to catch his breath, glared at him. "You picked a fight with those thugs, and after all that trouble you didn't even show us any illusion magic. I mean, _sand? _Where'd you get that idea?"

"I didn't pick any fights," Korro muttered, defensive. "That game was _ours. _Wecaught it fair and square. There was no reason to give it up. Besides, I thought the sand was a brilliant idea. Why use magic for everything when you have resources readily available?"

"You're hopeless."

"I guess so." Korro pushed himself from the wall and peered cautiously from around the corner. They were nowhere near Rock Valley, he realized with a sinking feeling. All around them were shacks and buildings in various states of disrepair. Some had crumbling walls, others had roofs suffering from decay. Weeds poked up from what could only have been gardens at one point. A scattering of people were moving around, drawing water from a nearby well, or else attempting to clear away the weeds in order to get the crops that were left. None seemed to notice their arrival.

Katsuro moved to stand beside his friend. "Where are we?"

"I have no idea," was Korro's subdued response. He had no idea places like this still went unnoticed by the general public. Why hadn't the people here moved out? This was desolate village no place to live out one's life, or to raise children. What kept them from leaving?

"We shouldn't stay here," Katsuro whispered. The sullen atmosphere seemed to have gotten to him, too. "Let's go find a higher vantage point. I bet I could determine our location from there."

"You go ahead," his friend replied. "Scout the area and come back here when you've found something. I'll stay here."

When Katsuro made to protest, Korro held up a hand. "My sense of direction is terrible. You know that. Besides, if I came I'd have to lug this thing around," he gave the monster a light kick, "to keep people from running off with it. It'll be fine. I'll cover you with illusion magic. It's not advanced enough to cover us both, but I'm getting better."

"If you say so." Katsuro could do little but agree. When the magic had been cast, he slipped through and out of the village unhindered.

Korro crossed his arms and counted to ten. When he finished, he spoke. "I know you're in there. There's no need to hide." The house was silent for a moment. Then the creaking of a door being opened drew Korro's attention. His sensitive ears had been picking up shuffling in the house for a while now. Katsuro's ears were human, and thus did not hear it.

He watched as a small figure appeared in the doorway. A little girl of about nine stepped out from its shadows. She was rather frail-looking, her hair falling in wisps all over her face. The clothing she wore was worn and simple. "Hello," she said quietly.

"Hello," Korro returned the greeting. "If you don't mind my asking, what were you doing in that hut?"

"This is where I live," the girl replied, as if it were obvious.

"Here?" Korro tried to keep the surprise out of his tone.

"Yes." The girl turned and looked at it. As if finally understanding how it must appear to an outsider's eye, she tensed defensively. "It's not much, I know that. But Mother and Father make sure we have everything we need here. The whole village does its best to take care of ourselves. We do well enough on our own. We don't need anyone's help!"

Korro blinked. What? Did she mean to tell him that the villagers were staying in this run-of-the-mill town completely out of a sense of pride?! What sort of excuse was that?! Before he could say so, the girl caught sight of the beast at his feet. She walked over and poked it. Korro uncrossed his arms. "Hey," he warned, "that's mi—"

"I wonder," she mused, "did Don-niisan ask you to bring this to us?"

Korro faltered. "Don…niisan? You mean Donza? Does he live here?" His eyes darted left and right. How ironic it would be for Donza to show up now.

But the girl shook her head, still eyeing the meat. "No, but he comes by often with loads of things for us. Food, mostly. We tell him not to bother, but he never listens. I suppose I'm glad he doesn't."

Korro didn't know what to say. Donza, brutish, aggressive Donza, stopping by and giving this village handouts? To the point where this kid addresses him as an older brother? There truly was more to him than meets the eye.

Korro's silence only seemed to confirm the girl's inquiry. Her eyes lit up, and she began talking about all the things her village could do with such a catch. Korro didn't have it in him to stop her. Instead, he devoted some thought into the matter. His father had sent him out with a job to do, and would be displeased to see it unfinished. At the same time, he was sure no one would begrudge him for being generous to this girl and her people. Rock Valley had more than enough already. And whether or not it was their own fault, these people barely had anything. With that, his mind was made up.

"Hey, kid. What's your name?"

The girl looked up. "Sonya."

"Well, Sonya, this kind of meat is only best when made into soup. I'll teach you the trick to making it, but I'm going to need some help. Go gather your village friends"

If possible, Sonya's face brightened even more. She threw her little arms around him. "Thank you, Mr…?

"Er, just call me…Shigaraki." He'd heard it once, years ago, in a conversation his parents were having. He didn't know what it meant, but figured it would make a cool alias. And thus the village ever after knew him only by one name: Shigaraki.

It was evening. As the sun continued to set, Katsuro found Korro at the village entrance—if one could call it that—and waved as he drew near. He had found the direction they needed to go. As he approached though, Katsuro saw that Korro was unburdened; the monster carcass was nowhere to be found. "Korro," he said slowly, "where's the meat?"

"I'll fill you in on the way," he promised. "More importantly, what took you so long? It's been hours. Are we that far from the village?"

"It _is _some distance from here," Katsuro admitted, "but that's not why I'm late. I actually ran into Lady Katana on the way."

Korro was shocked at that. "You saw my mom? What did she say? And would you quit calling her that already?" Katsuro held both Korro's parents in high regard, and for some reason always referred to them as "Lord Shield" and "Lady Katana". That only went for those two, though. Ren and Eclair were his parents so there was no need for such titles; Itsuki and Rishia didn't want to be addressed so formally on account of "a prior incident".

As for the Spear Hero Motoyasu…well, not much was said about him.

"She wants us to return to the village immediately," Katsuro said, ignoring the last question. "She told me to tell you that 'your father wishes to speak with you.'"

Korro's heart sank. He had no clue what he may have done wrong, but when the Shield Hero summons someone there was nothing else to do but answer the call.

He steeled himself, and started on the path that would take them back to Rock Valley. "Dad wants to see me, does he? Well then, we'd better not keep him waiting."


	3. The Rift Between Father and Son

**The Rift Between Father and Son**

* * *

Saori met her brother at the village entrance. He and Katsuro had finally returned—empty-handed, she noticed—from their hunting excursion. She sighed inwardly. _They're late, too. _The sun had all but set on the horizon, lengthening the shadows of the many buildings and structures in Rock Valley. Saori and Sadeena had returned some time ago, with the latter breaking off to help with food preparations.

"I'm glad you're back, Big Brother," Saori began, "but as you can see, the two of you are quite late. You didn't find _anything_ out there?" It wasn't like Korro to just call it quits after a few failed attempts. What had happened?

Korro grinned sheepishly. "Good to see you too, little sister. We ran into a bit of trouble on the way."

"Donza?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"You could say that."

Saori stamped her foot. "It's every week with him! Why can't their party just stick to their own land instead of bothering us all the time? It was annoying at first, but if his group is going to interfere with our jobs, then something needs to be done."

"Maybe later," Katsuro replied hastily. Korro had filled him in on what had happened to the game they'd caught, and while he _did _agree that that particular gang had caused them headaches in the past, he also didn't think drawing attention to Donza would be the best idea currently, especially since the blonde had nothing to do with Korro's decision to give away the meat. "More importantly," he went on, "I heard from your mother that Lord Shield wants to speak with Korro. Do you happen to know anything about it?"

Saori's look of irritation turned to one of contemplation when she heard this. A request from their father? "No, I haven't heard anything from Papa about this." She turned to her brother. "I have no idea what that could be about, but hopefully it's nothing serious. You just got back after all, so he can't have heard about what happened today yet. Unless," her eyes narrowed, "you've done something else to upset him."

Korro sported a look of mock-hurt at the accusation. "Me? I would _never _do something like that, Saori! How could you say such a thing? Dad and I are best friends!" Saori cracked a smile at her brother's antics.

"Can someone really be best friends with their own son?" Katsuro wondered. He shook his head, refusing to get caught up in their pace. There were more important things going on. "Anyways, I'd better get going. I expect Mother will want to know I've seen this one—" he punched Korro's shoulder "—safely home. You guys can fill me in later."

"I'm not some lost sheep, you know." Korro responded sulkily, rubbing his shoulder. For all the time he spent there, Katsuro did not actually live in Rock Valley. His house was in the neighboring town that his own mother oversaw, one that had come into existence at around the same time as Rock Valley. Katsuro looked up, gauging the horizon. He figured he had just enough time to make it back home before the night truly set in. If he ran, that is. Waving farewell to the Iwatani siblings, Katsuro turned and jogged back out of the village, and was soon swallowed up by the gathering darkness.

After watching his friend disappear from sight, Korro turned and made for his own home, where his father would surely be waiting. As he walked past his sister however, Saori reached out suddenly and grabbed his sleeve. He stopped. Neither sibling faced the other. Instead, Saori spoke in a low voice, looking ahead into the shadows. "I won't pretend to know everything that goes on between you and Papa. But whatever he has to say, please keep an open mind. You're his son and he only wants the best for you. For everyone." She released him. "Papa loves both of us with all his heart, whether or not he says so out loud. You know that, don't you?"

Korro was silent for a long moment, his face hidden from view. Then he reached up and placed a hand on her head. "Yeah, I know," was all he said. With that, he continued on his way.

Night had fallen in earnest. Saori gazed after her brother for a few moments, then made her way to the center of the village, coming to a stop at the base of a giant tree planted right in the middle, the "heart" of Rock Valley. She stared up into the leaves. Anyone who didn't live there probably would've done a double take upon seeing that, rather than fruit, this tree appeared to be growing entire _crepes—_dough, filling and all—in its branches. Saori however, payed them no mind. She was lost in thoughts about her father and her brother.

Their relationship was something that could only be described as awkward.

Korro wasn't disruptive or disobedient—nothing like that. He wasn't all that rebellious either. Korro was a son who did whatever he was told, and their father could always depend on him to carry out his wishes as reliably as any castle soldier. But that was just it: Naofumi and Korro were more akin to commander and subordinate than father and son. They worked well together on missions and official business, but without those to serve as a buffer, they didn't have much natural interaction. Their movements and speech were stiff and methodical, meant only to carry on whatever short, non-work related conversation they were having.

Around others, Korro liked to talk. He was a people person. Even just now, he joked about his relationship with his father because he was around his best friend and beloved younger sister. But as soon as he was in the presence of his father, his entire demeanor changed. 'Korro' disappeared, to be replaced by the ever-dutiful son who does everything and says nothing. A near total stranger.

_How long are they going to act like that around each other?_

Saori remembered a time when there was no such wall between them. Their father wasn't the affectionate type even back then, but it was obvious to everyone watching how much he cherished his son and daughter, spending every available moment with them, teaching them everything he knew and never once turning down their pleas to play with them. Such treatment began to dissipate around Saori's eleventh year, and Korro's twelfth. Korro suddenly joined his father and sister on outings less frequently, preferring to stay by his mother's side and learn from her instead. Soon, he stopped coming altogether. Little Saori, as if trying to make up for her brother's absence, decided to do all her training with her father. And thus an invisible, unsurmountable rift began to appear between the once tight-knit family, one that exists to this day.

The sound of approaching footsteps dragged Saori back to reality. She glanced over her shoulder. Standing there was a muscular young man with white-and-black striped hair. A striped tail waved to and fro, and a pair of small, rounded feline ears stood alert atop his head. His piercing blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark, and he bowed his head in respectful greeting. "Saori."

"Fohl," she said. Though it wasn't incredibly obvious, this demi-human was actually like her mother—the wielder of a Vassal Weapon. His was the Gauntlet, a pair of steel gloves worn on his hands. She assumed they carried immense power, but Saori had no idea what they did, or whether it was even possible to take them off; she'd never seen him do it.

Fohl was a Hakuko, an elite race of white tiger demi-humans who'd once ruled over Siltvelt, but had gone into decline in recent decades. He was one of the many people in this village who'd fought alongside her parents, and she'd even heard that he'd once had a younger sister who was even stronger than him. Saori wondered, from time to time, what the girl had been like. She'd asked once, when she was younger, only for the entire room to fall deathly silent. Her question had gone unanswered.

"What brings you here?" Saori wondered. "Did you have orders from my father?"

"Your mother, actually," he said. "We are to go to the capital tomorrow for a supply run. After that, we must meet with the Queen. It's not anything out of the ordinary, but both she and Naofumi will be busy tomorrow and want you to go in their stead. I will accompany you as added security." Fohl's eyes narrowed. "Why were you expecting an order from Naofumi? Did something happen?"

"Not at all!" Saori answered hurriedly. "I just…wondered. It's been a while since Mama sent me out on an errand," she continued. "And she wants you to come as a security measure? Sounds like overkill to me." Fohl was a powerful and respected warrior, one of the best in the village. Why would he be necessary for a simple errand run?

"On the contrary," Fohl said, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's completely necessary. There have been spikes in criminal activity everywhere around the city these past few weeks. The castle military has been doing its best to stamp it out, with varying degrees of success."

"Anything we need to worry about?" Saori asked.

"Probably not," the Hakuko admitted. "Most of them are small-scale crimes: theft, vandalism, that sort of thing. Although," his brow creased, "there has been the odd report of strange murders happening in residential areas, near the city's center."

"What makes them strange?"

Fohl hesitated, as if wondering whether to tell her or not, then placed two fingers on the side of his neck. "The guards have discovered puncture marks right about here. The victims' eyes are always wide and bloodshot, their bodies bleeding excessively from every orifice."

Saori resisted the urge to shudder. _This is why I can't be in the military._ "It could be a lethal injection of some kind," she offered aloud.

"Could be," Fohl agreed. "Whatever the case, as the children of two of the most well-known and influential Heroes in the country—if not the world—you and your brother are high profile. Considering all the trouble we've had to deal with in the past, whoever is doing this may very well have reason to target you. Which is why I'm tagging along."

Saori nodded. Suddenly, having him around seemed much more sensible to her. "Alright, tell my mother that I'll gladly accept this mission." In truth, she was not as enthusiastic about venturing to the capital as she was before, but her mother had asked for her specifically, so surely she thought this was something only her daughter could do. _And of course Korro wouldn't want to go. Not if it involves the Queen._

"Good girl." Fohl patted her shoulder. "Try not to worry about what I told you. It's odd for sure, but we won't be staying in the capital for very long, and at the castle there will be much more security." He turned away. "I'm turning in for the night. You should, too. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

Saori promised that she would and, after neatly plucking a crepe from the lowest branches of the tree, began on a path that would take her back to her home. She wondered if she should walk more slowly, in case her father and brother were still in the middle of their chat.

_Even though I'd rather not be in the middle of it, I can't help but wonder what they're talking about, _she thought.

* * *

Korro stood in the living room of the spacious Iwatani household, facing his father, whose back was to him. They were about the same height, but many would agree that Naofumi Iwatani cut a much more imposing figure, looking out of one of the windows with his arms crossed, his iconic shield strapped to his arm as it always was. Though he couldn't see his father's face, Korro imagined he was wearing his usual annoyed scowl.

In the five minutes since Korro had entered the room, neither had spoken. The air was abuzz with a bizarre tension, as if the room itself was holding its breath. Finally, Korro broke the silence. Lowering his head in rigid, silent respect he asked, "You wished to speak with me, Father?"

The Shield Hero turned around to face his son (he did indeed have his usual 'slightly annoyed' look), and responded in his familiar baritone.

"Yes. I have a job for you."

* * *

**AN: This chapter is shorter than the previous ones, but no less important. You may have noticed that Saori and Korro refer to their parents by slightly different names ('Mama and Papa' for Saori, 'Mom and Dad' for Korro and 'Father' when he's actually talking to Naofumi. He calls Raphtalia 'Mom' regardless.) and this does reflect the nature of the siblings' relationship with them. More characters will be introduced in the next chapter. And before you ask, no I will not be writing Atlas into this story, because that honestly sounds like a huge headache. Think of it as her 'moving on' with Godfumi and Godtalia. Hope you enjoyed! **


	4. To Market

**To Market**

The morning was cool and the hour was early when Saori and Fohl left for the capital. The sun had barely shown the first rays of dawn on the horizon, and the sky was shifting from midnight to a softer, lighter blue. In the hours before departure, Saori found herself standing by the wagon that was to transport them, a medium-sized structure that had been recently polished even though the wagon itself was not new. With a slightly trembling hand, Saori reached out and brushed the aging wood, rough beneath her fingers. This act calmed her a little. It allowed her to believe that the task ahead was nothing more than a simple supply run and meet-up, and certainly not a venture into a town with rising crime rates and an audience with the most powerful political figure in the country. She let out a quiet sigh, a gentle breeze fluttering the ends of her hair. So much for trying to keep calm.

They were going to the capital. They were going outside of Rock Valley, to a place where there would be lots of people. She was excited, sure. Saori had only been there a few times, but the bustling crowds, the exotic varieties of both food and people, as well as the sheer vastness of the city had done much to enchant her. However, with that enchantment came a feeling of apprehension that always came with leaving the bounds of Rock Valley. _No._ It'll be fine. _She'll _be fine_. _Saori nodded, momentarily convincing herself.

"Kuee?"

She jumped, startled. Peeking around to the front of the vehicle, Saori spotted the source of the noise staring back at her with an almost concerned expression gracing its inhuman features. A young filorial stood tied to the carriage, its feathers a dull brown in color. One of a very, very many. Saori cracked a half-smile, feeling some of the tension seep from her shoulders. She wasn't even sure she knew the bird's name; a new one was called to pull the carriage each day. _That's _how many there were. The girl covered the distance between the two of them in a few strides and reached out to stroke the filorial's head. The softness of the feathers came in stark contrast to the hardness of the wood before, and Saori took a moment to appreciate them before deciding to speak. "Thanks for that," she told it.

"Kuee." The filorial responded by nipping at the loose strands of her hair in front of its face. Saori couldn't help it—she laughed. Enough for her tail to go swishing back and forth in merriment, and enough for her to forget, for a moment, that it was there.

"I'm glad to see you're in good spirits, even though I'm pretty sure every other sane being in this place ought to be asleep." The somewhat irritated voice belonged to none other than her brother, who by definition was not a morning person. Korro trudged over the grass, ears and tail limp and eyes shadowed with tiredness. He was travelling light, wearing simple clothing as opposed to armor and carrying a pack over his shoulder. He continued his sluggish march until he was about five feet away, then stopped and unceremoniously dropped his bag onto the ground, where it landed with a thump. Seeing him brought Saori back to her senses, and she quickly straightened while tucking her tail behind her. "Good morning, Big Brother," she greeted him with forced cheerfulness, "it's rare to see you up so early."

Korro yawned and stretched, seemingly oblivious to his sister's behavior. "Yeah well, you can thank Dad for that. He wanted me to get 'an early start' or whatever." Although his voice was gruff, he still took the time to ruffle Saori's hair.

She accepted this display of brotherly affection without complaint, and instead turned her attention to the pack on the ground. "I suppose this has something with whatever you two talked about last night?" she asked, momentarily letting her curiosity override her nervousness.

"It might," Korro replied cryptically. He examined the wagon, and the creature responsible for pulling it. "Looks like you're all set. You said you're just going to the capital and back? No detours?"

"Don't change the subject," Saori chided him, "but yes. If all goes well, we should be back before nightfall." Korro nodded, as if to reassure himself. Then he gave the filorial a sidelong glance. "I'll be counting on you to get her there and back safely, got it? Otherwise I'll turn you into a feather pillow."

"KUEEE!" The filorial squawked indignantly and snapped its beak at him. Korro threw up his hands in mock-horror. "Alright, alright! It was just a joke!"

Saori rolled her eyes at her brother's antics. "And I thought Sadeena had a poor sense of humor." This statement went by unnoticed, and perhaps it was better that way. There was no need to risk crossing _that _line with him. She instead turned the conversation back to the topic at hand. "So? Aren't you going to let me in on what Papa told you last night?"

To her surprise, Korro shook his head. "No can do, Ori. Dad wants this mission to be just between us, to keep word from spreading. I know you'd never tell if I asked you not to," he interjected before Saori could cut in, an incredulous look on her face, "but it's best to not take risks when we don't have to. You understand, right?" His eyes were pleading, wanting his sister to understand.

Saori huffed. She was a little miffed at being locked out of the loop, but also figured her father must have a good reason for not wanting anyone else to know about the mission. It also filled her with an odd sense of pride; all else aside, Korro was still highly trusted by Naofumi, enough to carry out secret tasks in his name. That _had _to count for something. "Alright, fine. You have your secrets, and I'll have mine."

"Fair enough," he hid a grin as he conceded the point, choosing to inspect the wagon one more time before his sister's departure. She was going to the capital and back. No big deal. He needn't worry about her, as Saori was a fairly skilled mage in her on right. Even so, Korro couldn't shake the tiny, nagging feeling of apprehension twisting his insides. The feeling he got whenever Saori left the village, which wasn't often. "Hey, Ori," he said quietly, "You sure you'll be alright out there? If you want, I could—"

"Don't worry about me," Saori cut across him. The last thing she wanted was her brother compromising his mission for her sake. "I'm not a little girl anymore. Even I can run errands now and again. Just hurry up and finish your job so you can tell me all about it when you get back. I'm sure Papa wouldn't mind if you said something _after _the mission is completed, right?"

Korro noted the seriousness in his sister's gaze, despite her playful attitude. She was right. It was high time he focused on his own task and trusted Saori to do hers. "Right."

As the siblings conversed, the soft crackle of grass being crushed underfoot told the arrival of a new presence, and soon Fohl appeared, dressed as Saori was, in a light traveler's cloak. "I trust we're all set?" Korro immediately snapped to attention, stiff and almost comically serious.

"The wagon has been checked and is now ready for transport, sir! I would like to escort you at least as far as the gates, but I'm afraid I am already pressed for time. All I can do now is wish you good fortune on your journey." He said all of this with a completely straight face. Saori, on the other hand, had to turn her back and cover her mouth to keep the laughter from spilling through.

Taking Korro's formality in stride, Fohl merely nodded. "That'll do, Korro. I wish you good fortune on your mission as well, whatever it may be." Saori was surprised at that. So Fohl knew about it too? Though now that she thought about it, it wasn't all that startling. Fohl was one of her father's key advisors. Of course he knew. But it seemed even he didn't know the details about Korro's task.

"R-Right then, I'll be off. I'll see you when I get back, Sister." Korro stumbled over his words as he reached for his pack. Saori raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing. Korro began to jog down the path, and only when he several meters away did Saori realize something. "Wait!" she called out to him. "Are you running all the way there?!"

Korro waved, though he didn't turn back. "I have a ride!" was all he said.

Fohl chuckled and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "He'll be fine," he said. "Now then, if there is nothing else to be done, let's be off." The two loaded into the wagon, with Fohl at the reigns and Saori preferring to ride in the back while it was still empty. The wagon began to move, and soon they were on the road. After about half an hour, it came to a stop, signaling that they had arrived at the checkpoint. Saori waited for the telltale screech of the iron gates as they opened, remembering a time when Rock Valley was small enough to not need a border on this side. And working to keep her anxiety in check.

A few moments later and they were waved through. The journey was quiet for a while after that, but Saori found it increasingly difficult to take her mind off their inevitable arrival. The streets were probably bustling by now, chock full of people. She loved the city, but didn't make going there a habit. Though one could easily say she didn't make leaving Rock Valley a habit, either. Then they had to go to the palace, which would be smaller but no less empty. The more she thought about it, the harder it was to control her breathing, until Saori thought the anticipation would kill her. It was then that Fohl spoke up. Either he'd sensed her apprehension and was trying to take her mind off of it, or he simply wanted to make conversation.

"Your brother hasn't changed. He's always so nervous around me."

Saori, after sending him silent thanks, responded. "Can you blame him? You're one of the strongest Vassal Heroes in Melromarc, in our parents' inner circle. Trained and fought with the Shield and Katana Heroes themselves. Helped stop a war that could've destroyed our world and several others. Fought—"

"Alright, alright, I get it."

If she didn't know any better, Saori would say that Fohl sounded flustered. She decided not to press him. "Point is, he really looks up to you. I guess this is his way of trying to sound responsible, maybe so you wouldn't think less of him."

Fohl was quiet at that, digesting her words. Eventually he said, "I would never think less of either of you."

His words were innocent enough from an outsider's point of view, but Saori felt her mood, which had been improving, suddenly dampen. "Good to know," she muttered.

The capital city of Melromarc was huge, even as capital cities go. Buildings of all sizes flanked the streets, which were, as Saori predicted, filled with buyers and sellers alike as they went about their day. Though they'd left early, the sun was already high in the sky by the time they reached the city. Saori peeked out from her wood-and-cloth shelter, surveying the area. The air was filled with aromas of every kind, from sweet and savory to sour and sometimes even unpleasant. Everything from the goods to the scents to the people was varied. Saori felt her heart leap in amazement as she too it all in. Just what one would expect to find at the heart of the kingdom.

Breathing deeply, Saori emerged from the flap at the back and leapt lightly down to the ground, pulling the hood of her cloak over her head. Fohl joined her and produced a small piece of folded paper from his pocket. That paper then unfolded into a much longer piece of paper, and Saori saw that it was a list of items, most of which were different kinds of food. She and Fohl exchanged glances. "Filo," they agreed. Not to mention all their monsters. The rest were tools and crafting ingredients, which she assumed was for either her father or the mole people who excelled at crafting.

After reading the list a few times, Fohl told her that everything they needed should be available here and set out. Saori stuck close to him. Her nervousness had not dissipated, and she did her best to keep from brushing and bumping into people. Which was rather difficult at first, but when those closest caught a glimpse of her face as she went by, their annoyed looks quickly melted into what could only be described as ingratiating. The crowds soon parted before the pair as if by some unseen force.

"Oh, pardon me, Lady Saori!"

"This way, my lady! It's much less crowded!"

"Out of the way! Can't you see Her Ladyship is trying to pass through?"

Even Fohl's cowl was rendered ineffective as the people recognized him, too. "Look, even the Gauntlet Hero is with her!"

"What's he doing here, I wonder?"

And so on. Saori felt that wearing a hood when the whole square had eyes on her was kind of pointless, so she flipped back the cowl to reveal her face. The crowd gasped, and the chattering increased as the people remarked on how beautiful she was. Saori did her best to take it all in stride, even waving to a few of them while putting on a brilliant smile. She wondered if any could tell how much she was inwardly cursing them for putting her on the spot like this. Fohl sighed and pulled down his hood as well. "No use now, I suppose."

The trip to the first stall, a fruit vendor, seemed like an age, though it had probably only taken five or six minutes. Fohl moved to speak with the stall owner, leaving Saori to stand close by, more or less to her own devices. She leaned against a post, waiting idly for her escort to return. As she did, Saori's thoughts went back to what she and Fohl had discussed previously, about the mysterious increase in crime around the city. It was easy to overlook between the smiling customers and cheerful shop owners, but somewhere out there, murder had taken place. Saori wondered if the people were putting up a brave front, or whether they truly felt it did not concern them. She wanted to believe the former, but Saori knew firsthand the levels of indifference humans could reach.

A flash of blond hair caught Saori's eye. She turned her head, and all at once thoughts of crime and killing vanished from her mind. There, across the street from her, standing right in front of the weaponsmith's shop, was Donza. Alone. Irritation bubbled up under her skin, and within seconds Saori was on the other side of the road, marching towards her brother's hated enemy. Even when fuming, Saori only came up to Donza's shoulder, a fact that wasn't lost on either of them. Even so, the girl stood her ground and faced him.

…Or she would have, had the boy been paying any attention to her. Saori had to have been less than two feet away, standing with her arms folded and a scowl on her face, and a few passersby had even begun to take notice. But though she was turned towards him, Donza was still facing the weapons shop, as if deciding whether or not to go in. They stood like that for the better part of five minutes. Saori's ears grew hot. Was he _ignoring _her? Did he think he could get away with something like that? After the sixth minute, she was sure. Deciding she wasn't going to play his game, she cleared her throat. Donza said nothing.

She did so again. And again, until it almost sounded like she had a legitimate cold. Donza gave her a sidelong glance before focusing on the sign overhead. "You ought to get that cough checked out, _Your Ladyship. _What would us lowly citizens do if our princess got sick in this filthy place?"

Saori bristled. "Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed, "I'm not royalty."

"Aren't you though? Our Queen is married to your dad, so automatically, you're a royal. How does that work, anyway, since you already have a mom? Does that make her your stepmom or something then?" His expression was one of complete indifference, which only further infuriated Saori.

"Kindly stay out of my familial affairs, thanks. And anyway, I'm not here to talk about that."

"Then I'm guessing you want pointers on how to kill people by staring at them. I gotta say, princess, that's not my area of expertise. You were doing pretty well on your own, though. I almost remembered you were there."

Saori refused to be baited. "What's this I hear about you getting in my brother's way during his hunt yesterday?"

Donza's face clouded; Saori realized she had struck a nerve. "Don't you have anything better to do than antagonize him all the time?" she plowed on. "There are a ton of places to harvest monster parts, most of them unrestricted to the public. Why is Rock Valley so important to you?"

"It's not," he growled in return. He looked her way again, only this time there was visible anger on his features. And something else: wariness. "What else did he say to you about the hunt? Did he tell you what happened to the meat in the end?"

Saori uncrossed her arms, and placed her hands on her hips. No, she wasn't planning on fighting Donza, not without magic anyway, but this was the part of the story that really annoyed her. When Korro told her, she could hardly believe her ears. "As a matter of fact, he did! While you were all busy arguing, another monster just swooped in and stole the kill out from under your noses!"

Donza's face went slack. "What?"

"Don't 'what?' me! Just imagine, all that fighting, and neither of you even got anything from it. I hope you're happy with yourselves." She waited for his response, maybe an explanation if not an apology—for she knew he would never do that—but it never came. Donza was staring down at her, his face a picture of utter confusion.

"He said that?"

Saori nodded astutely. "Of course. I know everything about my brother, so he wouldn't hide it from me." Donza was quiet again, long enough for Saori to grow suspicious. "What?" she demanded.

He didn't answer right away, and or a moment he almost seemed pensive. Then the moment was gone, and the boy's face slipped back into its mask of complete indifference. Adjusting the weapons belt around his waist, Donza shrugged. "Nothing. But just so you know, it was his fault for letting that monster run off with my catch. That idiot insisted on helping and fighting it on his own, so of course it got away." He turned away. "I don't feel like getting an upgrade anymore. And the next time you see him, tell your brother that _I don't need anyone's help." _With that, he walked away.

Or started to anyway.

Saori wasn't about to let him get off with insulting Korro. "Now wait just a minute!" She'd caught up to him in a few strides and, without thinking, reached out to grab hold of his arm. "Don't call him—"

"OUCH!"

Suddenly Donza flinched and jerked his arm away, clapping a hand over his shoulder as if he'd been shocked. His face had lost that bored look, but now it had twisted into an angry one, the first she'd seen since they'd started this conversation. Saori unconsciously retreated a step, more surprised than afraid. "Oh come on," she said as Donza moved toward her. "You can't tell me that actually _hurt_." Her hand had barely closed on his sleeve before he'd reacted. Was he one of those kinds of people extremely sensitive to pain? That would be an odd trait to have on an adventurer.

Seeing the situation rapidly spiraling downhill, Saori attempted to make amends. Perhaps she'd gone too far in actually touching him. As he came closer, Saori's hand reached for her weapon. As she did, whispers broke out among the people. Saori started. She had almost forgotten that this area was not secluded. Men were speaking to each other in low voices, and a little ways away a woman held her child close. Saori could not afford to let a fight break out in the middle of the square. So she forced her hand away from the hilt of her dagger as Donza halted a mere few steps away. He leaned in, and with a voice colder than ice, whispered, "Don't do that again. Ever." The people in the square milled about uncertainly, and another woman took one look at the situation before taking off.

Saori paid them no heed. Donza was looking pretty threatening right now, but Saori was confident in her skills, and stood her ground. Even so, it was best not to agitate him any further. Then her eyes gravitated to Donza's arm, the one she'd grabbed, and they widened even further, for at last she saw the reason for his outburst: above the joint near the shoulder, the fabric of his sleeve was stained dark. Even as she watched, the stain began to spread. Saori's eyes flicked back to Donza. "You're hurt." It was a statement. "What happened?"

Donza's eyes narrowed. He was right to be suspicious. Saori didn't make a habit of checking up on his physical condition, after all. But she refused to turn a blind eye to an injured person, even if the person in question was him. They stared at each other as the crowd looked on. All seemed to be aware of the frailty of the situation, and thus none dared to move. By now, all eyes in the vicinity were on the two of them, which sent uncomfortable prickles up Saori's skin. She was beginning to wonder if she should have stayed home after all when the sound of metal shoes clanking against the cobblestone brought everyone's attention. There was movement in the back of the crowd, a sort of ripple that steadily grew larger as more and more people made way for three figures pushing themselves to the front.

Fohl stepped out in front, tall and intimidating, flanked by a pair of royal guards. And standing off to the side was the woman who had run earlier. Fohl surveyed the area, and even Saori cringed under the weight of his steel gaze as it fell on her. "Is there a problem here that needs fixing?" he growled.

Saori tried the casual approach. "It's fine. Everything's fine, really. We were just talking is all." She gestured to Donza, who thankfully had retreated a few steps upon the arrival of reinforcements. "But this guy should get his arm checked out. I think it's—"

"It's nothing. Just a bite." Donza straightened up and met Fohl's eyes, something few had the ability to do. He covered the wound with his hand, temporarily shielding it from view. "Some stray mutt thought I'd make a decent meal. I showed it otherwise."

Fohl's expression didn't change. "Must've been some dog, to even think about taking on a human. It might not have even been in its right mind. If that's the case, it's best you _do _get that bite checked out." He signaled to the soldiers. "See to it that he gets to a healer." The soldiers saluted, but Donza only scowled.

"I told you it's nothing, didn't I? I'll go to a healer if it makes you feel better, but I don't need you holding my hand or anything like that. Just let me do it on my own." Without waiting for an answer, he strode away, making for the edge of the crowd. As he did so, he paused right next to Saori. She tensed, but he had only words to share this time. "And don't assume you know everything about a person, or that that person knows everything about you. There will always be a side of them they'll never show to anyone, no matter how 'close' you think you are. Remember that, and it'll hurt less in the future." The crowd parted before him, and soon he was out of sight.

Fohl addressed the soldiers again. "Follow him. Make sure he actually does as he's told." They saluted again before vanishing. To the crowd he said, "I apologize if we've caused any disturbance. Thank you for your patience. You may all go back to your daily activities." The crowd dispersed. Fohl picked out a figure attempting to move away along with the rest of the people. He sighed. "Not you, Saori."

The girl flinched. Of course she would have had to meet up with him eventually, but she'd hoped to give him some space and a chance to cool off before showing herself. But just like the rest of her day had been going, Saori had no such luck. She walked back over to her guardian, suddenly taking a keen interest in her shoes. Fohl stood over her, arms crossed. "How exactly am I supposed to keep an eye out for you when you leave when my back is turned?"

"M'sorry," she mumbled.

"I don't think 'sorry' would have made up for the damages caused if a fight had broken out in town, would it? Honestly, Saori. I expect you to act one way, and then you go and act another. You represent all of Rock Valley whenever you step beyond the gates. I had hoped you'd known that when you agreed to come with me."

"I do, but—"

"Then do better and behave yourself next time. I know Korro doesn't like Donza, and by extension you don't like him either, correct? But there was absolutely no need to antagonize him when he was minding his own business."

Ears burning from being lectured, Saori glanced up resentfully. "What makes you think _I _was the one who started it?"

Fohl raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. "Oh? So you're saying you _weren't _the one who left the stall, crossed over to his side of the street an initiated a rather heated conversation? Maybe I was wrong, then. Maybe your evil twin did it."

"…You're not going to tell my mother and father, are you?"

"We'll see."

Saori faced the floor again, the weight of his disappointment heavier than any blow. He was right. She'd handled things in the worst way possible. Not to mention Donza really _had _been minding his own business this time. It had gotten to the point where even someone like Fohl had needed to step in. If either of her parents found out, they might not let her travel to the city again. Not even Korro, the one she'd been trying to defend, would be happy that she almost started a brawl on his behalf.

…On second thought, maybe he would. The corners of her lips twitched in the ghost of a smile at the thought.

"Did I say something funny?" Fohl demanded. Saori snapped back to attention, the humor vanishing as soon as it had come. Right. Fohl was angry, and she was in trouble with no way to get out of it. It was best she accepted that.

"No Fohl, you didn't."

"Well, _I _thought the 'evil twin' thing was kind of funny." The one who spoke was neither guardian nor ward. The two of them whipped around, lecture forgotten. Another girl was standing there, gloved hands clasped in front of her as she smiled serenely before them. Wavy, shoulder-length blond hair framed her face, which could only be described as doll-like. All in all, her delicate appearance seemed out of place in the dusty square, and the only thing that gave away her true nature was the sparkle of mischief in her pale green eyes.

Fohl was locked in place, jaw slack with actual surprise. Saori however did not miss a beat. Her face split into a wide, toothy grin as she ran and tackled the girl in a bear hug. "Yumi!"

Yumi laughed, bringing her arms around to return the hug. "It's good to see you, Saori." She smiled at the white tiger, who remained silent. "And you, Uncle Fohl."

"Looks like I saved you in the nick of time again didn't I, Saori? Uncle Fohl looked about ready to tear you a new one."

Saori lightly hit her shoulder, feigning irritation. "If you really wanted to save me, you would have come sooner," she muttered. "Still though, thanks. I think even Fohl's calmed down a bit after you came." The person in question was a little ways ahead of the group, leading the way from shop to shop as they gathered supplies. Yumi cheerfully lent a hand, stating she had nothing better to do. This didn't stop people from staring as she lifted crates stacked two or three high and filled to the brim without any visible effort.

Saori was glad for her presence. Yumi was older by a year, but was the same height and never quite acted her age or status. Naturally, because of this—and perhaps for one other reason—she and Saori got along famously.

"Yep, I heard you got into some argument with our favorite angry blond boy. What'd he do this time?"

Awkward as it was, Saori had to admit the truth. "He…didn't. Not today, anyway. Seems like I picked the wrong day to call him out."

"Okay then, when _did _he do whatever he did?"

"He ran into Korro and Katsuro yesterday when they were out hunting. They got into a fight, and long story short, some random animal swiped the game and ran away."

Yumi giggled. "That sounds like the sort of ridiculous situation our Korro would get himself into." The two of them were waiting outside of a clothing shop, their last stop on the agenda. Fohl had given Saori specific instructions not to move an inch from that spot, and Yumi specific instructions to keep her there till his return. As far as punishments went, this was pretty mild. Saori suspected he would let her have it when they got home later.

"By the way," Yumi absently tugged on a strand of her friend's hair, "you said you were visiting the castle after your errands. Does that mean you plan on seeing the queen?"

Saori nodded. "Probably after this. Korro had something to do today, so he couldn't come. That and, well, it's the queen, so…"

"I see." Yumi wisely decided not to pursue the subject. Instead she shot Saori a sidelong glance. "It's good to see you out here, anyway. I think you're getting more comfortable among the crowds. That's good, very good indeed."

"Am I?" Saori wasn't so sure. "This morning I almost backed out completely. But Mama gave me this mission, so I won't let her down. Besides, I like the city. Even if there is a murderer running around this place, I won't run away!"

She expected Yumi to laugh and commend her determination like she usually did, but none came. Rather, Yumi clasped her hands together and looked out over the street. "So you've heard about that."

Saori blinked. "About the crimes and stuff? Yeah, I've heard of it. Fohl says not to worry, though. We're safe as long as he's around."

"_We're _safe," Yumi repeated. She gestured to the throngs of people. "_They _aren't. I can't imagine how scared they all must be, deep down. An entire castle full of guards and no one has made any headway. That's why you and I have to do our best to help these people, even if it means confronting the danger head on. That's what I think, anyway."

"You want me to go toe-to-toe with a psychopath even the military couldn't catch?" Saori eyed her skeptically. "I think I'll leave this to the professionals. Speaking of which, what about your parents? Maybe they've found something?"

Yumi stared at her gloves, her ever-present smile thinning a bit. "I wouldn't know," she said. "They're both abroad, dealing with international relations."

"Still?" _But it's been weeks! _Weeks since her friend laid eyes on her parents. Saori's heart filled with sympathy. She didn't want to think about not being able to see her mother and father each day, greeting them and training with them. Just being near them put her mind at ease. How lonely Yumi must feel. She reached out and touched Yumi's shoulder. "Do you think something's happened?"

"Oh, definitely not. You know them. They can come back in an instant, whenever they wanted. I guess time just got away from them this time." Yumi took Saori's hand and placed it back against her side. "There's no need for that look, my friend. I told them I could handle it, and so, here I am. If anything, I am glad they trust me enough to leave me alone and focus on their jobs. Believe me, what they do is far more important."

Yumi's face brightened at that, and Saori could tell she meant what she said. She truly believed that her parents could take as much time as they needed away from home if it meant making a difference in the world. That was just how she was. Saori did not agree, but this time it was she who didn't press the issue. "Well, I hope they catch whoever it is soon. Crowds or no, I'd hate it if I were never allowed to go back here."

"So would I."

The two girls fell silent, remaining that way right up until Fohl returned to collect them. In the end, as they had completed their errand run for the day, and the meeting with the queen was a private affair, Fohl and Saori parted ways with Yumi. "Be careful out there," Saori's voice was a mere whisper as she hugged her friend. "You know, you can always stay with us in Rock Valley until your parents come back. I had no idea you were on your own this whole time. Whenever we saw you, you seemed just fine."

"That's because I _am _just fine," Yumi assured her. "I don't want you to drive yourselves mad with worry over me. And I am of age, so it's about time I thought of getting my own home anyway."

"Still, think about it. I'm sure Mama and Papa won't mind. And Korro would love it."

"…Alright, I'll think about it. You be careful too, and tell Korro I said to keep out of trouble whenever he's out."

"Somehow I think it'd be more meaningful if you told him yourself. He might actually consider listening."

Yumi hugged Fohl next. "Watch over them, Uncle Fohl. They'll need you."

"I'll do my best," he said. "I can't promise that it'll do any good in the end. They're kind of a handful." She laughed at that. And so the mood was considerably lighter when the three finally set out on their separate paths.

Yumi waved goodbye as the wagon disappeared into the distance, no doubt headed for the castle. As she strolled through the streets of the capital city, her thoughts returned to her earlier conversation with Saori. "_Whenever we saw you, you seemed just fine." _

Am _I just fine? _Yumi wondered. She liked to think so, anyway. It wasn't as if she were unhappy. She had all her friends in Rock Valley to turn to if she ever needed help. Yes, her mother and father's absence had bothered her the first few days, but gradually, she'd grown used to it. Some days, it hardly crossed her mind at all. And that, more than anything, was what worried her.

_No point in thinking things like that, _she decided. So she thought about the supposed meeting between Saori, Uncle Fohl and the queen of Melromarc. It could be about anything, but the fact of the matter was that they got to enter the castle and speak with royalty. Part of Yumi was envious, but of course she would never say so out loud. One of the reasons Korro refused to aid in the mission was because of royalty, after all. _Which is a shame. I would have liked to see him._

Yumi was deep in these thoughts and more when she rounded the corner—

And ran smack into a man running at full speed. She fell backwards and hit the ground, stunned. The man staggered from the impact, but did not stop even to scold her. Clutching what looked like a thin leather bag to his chest, he took off back down the way Yumi had come. Still a bit dazed, Yumi slowly picked herself up and dusted herself off. "Strange. I would have apologized if he'd stayed long enough for me to speak. I wonder what's got him in such a hurry."

The answer came charging down the road where the man had come from. An armored guard nearly hurtled into Yumi before skidding to a halt before her. His forehead beaded with sweat, he planted the butt of his spear into the ground and bowed. "My apologies, Lady Yumi, but did you see where that thief went?"

Yumi's head cleared instantly. "A thief?"

"Yes. He's a shifty-looking man who ran away with a leather satchel. Came this way not too long ago?"

It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. She snapped her fingers. "As a matter of fact, I did! I didn't see his face all that clearly, but he was holding a bag as you'd described. He ran into me before taking off down that street."

The guard bowed again, though his face seemed to sink as he realized how much chasing he had left to do. "Thank you, my Lady! I personally have no idea what that bastard took, but I've been informed that capturing him and recovering the satchel is of the utmost importance!"

Yumi's eyes grew wide and distant. For a moment, she was not in the square. Instead she was in her home, standing in the doorway as her parents bid her farewell. She felt her father's hand land on her shoulder even as the other brushed her cheek. She remembered his words as she watched the sunlight reflect off the metal ends of the bow he carried over his shoulder. "_We leave this house to you while we're gone, Yumi. I don't like leaving you alone, but your mother and I have to complete this mission. It is of the utmost importance."_

Barely registering the rest of the guard's words, Yumi reached out and grabbed the man's spear. "I'll be needing this," she said, her voice hollow as he looked on in surprise. "You go on and get some rest." By the time he could muster a shaky response, she was already out of sight.

It didn't take much to track down the thief, in the end. After spending precious minutes looking through the bustling square, Yumi suddenly realized that any thief would want to keep out of sight when they could, and took to the alleyways. Her footfalls echoed in the much emptier walkways, probably alerting every tramp and petty criminal that she was there, but Yumi did not care. She'd picked up the thief's route after the first ten minutes or so of searching, and now that she had it there was nowhere he could hide that was safe from her.

Yumi didn't even think about the fact that she'd forcibly relieved an officer of his weapon and essentially obstructed his pursuit of the villain, not to mention taking matters into her own hands when she had neither the training nor the authority to go chasing down criminals. She hadn't thought of anything after those words had left the guard's mouth. Later, she would reflect and be positively disturbed by this, but for now, Yumi was of a single mind: a mind to catch the thief and bring him to justice.

She was getting close now, Yumi could feel it. Just as she felt the energy radiating from all living things when she concentrated, as her mother had taught her. It was ineffective in crowded areas due to the sheer _amount _of everything in it, but in here, it was her greatest asset. For the few seconds at a time that she could use it, that is.

But it did its job, and soon Yumi slowed to a walk. A few seconds ago she had used her ability, and saw that her quarry had stopped in the middle of a four-way intersection. She strode forward, not even bothering to hide herself, and the thief whirled in her direction as he heard her coming. She could see why he stopped. He was panting heavily, and though he clutched the satchel more tightly than ever, his legs were trembling from exhaustion. Even in the shadows of the alley, Yumi could see that he was sweating profusely. He made as if to take a step back into the shadows of the path behind him. In the same instant, Yumi raised her weapon, holding it as though she were seconds away from throwing it. "I wouldn't, if I were you," she chided him lightly, her expression one of mild amusement. "This spear will reach you long before you reach safety."

He was indeed a shifty-looking man. His eyes darted this way and that, the pupils shrunken with anxiety and fear. His skin was sallow and his facial hair unkempt and uneven "Bullshit," he snarled. "So they sent a girl after me instead? Do they think I'm helpless?"

"Aren't you?" Yumi countered. "You would have used your weapon by now if you had one. Same with whatever magic you have. I'm guessing you drained it in your escape, and didn't have time to replenish."

The thief flinched, which was all Yumi needed. "I don't know what you stole, but you did steal it, which, as you know, is illegal. You've brought the attention of the royal guards as well, so it must really be something." She beckoned him with her free hand. "I'll be taking that satchel now. Then, I'm going to turn you over to them. How's that sound?"

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" the man hissed. "And I'm not giving the goods up, either! Seriously, this job is way more trouble than it's worth!"

Yumi pounced on this new information. "Job? What job? Are you working for someone?"

But the man shook his head, and Yumi could see panic set deep in his features as reason abandoned him. "Not anymore I'm not! This is way too much! It's over and I'm not letting anyone get their hands on this! They'll kill me for sure either way, and so will you! Screw this!" He spun on his heel.

"Don't move! I won't tell you again!" Yumi raised her spear even higher. "I won't kill you, but this _will _hurt!" _Maybe someone else is after him. _In that case, she should scan the area once more and figure out where to go from there. She activated her ability—

And nearly dropped her spear in horror. "Don't. Move." Yumi's tone bore a stark contrast to what it was before. She didn't raise her voice; instead, it carried over in a calm, cautious way, hoping to dissuade her target from moving another step.

But the man was too far gone. Shooting one last panicked glanced over his shoulder at her, he started to run. "I said DON'T MOVE!" But Yumi knew then that it was too late. She threw her spear with all her might.

Several things happened at once.

The spear sailed far over the man's head, towards the shadows—which themselves seemed to bend solidify into a single mass and peel away from the rest of the alley. It stood almost three men tall, all pitch-black fur and slavering jaws that seemed to hold too many teeth. Its muzzle was vaguely canine, its eyes bloodshot and wild. A nightmare given physical form. The spear bit into its shoulder even as the beast fell upon the screaming man, ripping into him with dagger-like claws. Completely ignoring the wound, the monster lowered its open maw towards the man, who'd fallen into a dazed silence. He fully accepted death.

Yumi didn't. Completely out of ideas and struggling to keep the fear at bay, she cast around for something, _anything—_

And found a rock, a fist sized piece of stone that had broken away from the rest of the walls at some point. In one movement, Yumi swept it up, threw back her arm, and sent the stone whizzing through the air to beam the creature square on the nose.

Unlike having a spear thrown in its side, the beast did _not _take kindly to this act. Howling in pain, it leapt back and swiped furiously at its nose. Yumi seized her chance and rushed to the man's side, trying to heave him up. "Get up!" she demanded as his head lolled to the side. "Don't think you can just die and leave my questions unanswered! We need to get out of here quickly, while it's distra—"

That was as far as she'd gotten before a heavy blow landed on her back.


	5. Not A Chapter

**Author's Note**

**Greetings, all! As the title reads, this is not a new chapter of the story, sorry. I'm here to inform you all of certain updates to TLH. Basically, I haven't updated in several months because looking back on it, I'm not very happy with how the story is written. Characters, pacing, etc. There was still a lot I haven't done that I should have done before I even started the story, something that's become increasingly obvious to me whenever I go back and reread. Unfortunately it's gotten to the point where I can't even write without a million things going through my head about how it should have been. For this reason I'm not going to continue the story as is.**

**BUT.**

**This brings me to share some actual good news: I have decided to redo the entire story, from start to finish. Not because I feel obligated or pressured to do so, but because I personally think this idea is too good to just put in a closet and forget about. I genuinely **_**want**_** this story to be a success and I want you all to enjoy it, which means I need to take time and produce better quality writing. My initial plan was to rewrite the story and let you all know **_**after **_**it's finished as a kind of surprise, but I realize it wouldn't be fair to just drop off the radar without warning like so many of these fanfic authors do. So from now on, even if you see me posting other stories on my profile, do know that I am working on TLH in the meantime. Once it's done and ****fully completed**** I'll remove this version and start posting the new one. As of right now I can't tell you how much or how little of the story will change, but I hope you'll enjoy it nonetheless.**

**TLDR: I'm rewriting TLH and will let you all know once it's done. In the meantime, I'll work on other small fics to help in case of writer's block. **

**Thank you all those who've been following TLH so far and I appreciate you're support and reviews, they really helped my motivation and part of the reason I came to this decision was because of you're encouragement.**

**P.S. I know a great big wall of bolded text can be hard to look at, but that's kinda how Author's Notes are written on this site. Sorry.**


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